Glossary

Apps

Apps, abbreviated from web-based applications, are like desktop programs (for example, word processors, photo editing software, music production tools, news websites, games) that don't need to be installed on your computer. Instead, they are web-based and run entirely in Chromium.

Cache

Chromium saves a copy of the web documents you encounter while browsing through websites (for example, HTML pages and images). These copies are stored in a directory known as the cache. When you return to these websites, data can be recalled from the cache instead of being retransmitted from the web server, which minimizes page loading time and speeds up your browsing experience.

For privacy purposes, you can clear this cache in the Under the Hood tab of the Options / Preferences menu.

Cookies

When you visit a website, it may create and store data about your visit (for example, your settings and preferences on a website, the links you've clicked on, your history of browsed pages, your profile information on the website) in a text file. This text file is a cookie.

For privacy purposes, you can remove cookies in the Under the Hood tab of the Options / Preferences menu.

Developer Tools

Chromium's Developer Tools allow website developers to debug (correct coding errors) a web page. Developer Tools also monitor the amount of time it takes for each element on a web page to load, which is useful to gauge a website's level of performance, and which allows developers to edit code in order to increase a website's loading speed.

Extensions

Extensions are additional features that you can download for use in Chromium. They provide functions like instant Gmail inbox alerts, automatically mapping addresses, verifying the security information of a website, and many more.

Incognito mode

For users who are wary of websites and Chromium recording browsing data, Incognito mode does not record browsing or download history, and cookies stored in Incognito mode are deleted once all Incognito windows are closed.

Note that bookmarks and general browser settings that are created or adjusted in Incognito mode are still recorded.

Killing a tab

The option to kill a tab appears when a web page takes a very long time to finish loading, either because there is too much data, or because there are errors on the page. Killing a tab stops the loading process so that you can open a new tab and continue browsing.

Omnibox

Chromium's URL address bar also functions as a field where you can type in keywords for web searches. Its multiple functions inspired the name "Omnibox".

Snapshots; hourly builds

Since Chromium is an ongoing open source browser project, new codes for the browser are constantly being developed by open source programmers. These developments are compiled into a downloadable package and uploaded more or less hourly onto the Chromium download page at http://build.chromium.org/f/chromium/snapshots/. The name snapshot refers to the temporary nature of each version of Chromium, since a newer version is already being developed while a user downloads the current version.

Sync; synchronization

Syncing in Chromium allows you to save your browsing data, like bookmarks, passwords, extensions, and apps, to your Google account so that you can access them no matter what computer you're using.